Truck center bearing



peazo, 1927. 1,653,564

T. w. HAwLr-:Y

TRUCK CENTER BEARING Filed June 8. 192s 2 sheets-sheet' 2? .ai E5 l2 24- y 2634 32 l 27 25 J7 i /6 I 36 36` 4 E 1y v- ."'l3=5`., 23

gi/vento@ 7"/0171615 Zd. jawZey,

E, @www Patented Dec. 20, 1927.'

,THOMAS W. HAWLEY, OF SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO-I-IEZEKIAH DIENT,- OIE-SAV-AINNAH',` GEORGIA.

TRUCK CENTER BEARING.

'y Application led .J une v-`8,

My invention relatesto 4Center plates or bearings, for trucks or railway cars, locomotives,.tende rs, or the like. l

V An important object ofthe invention 1s toprovide acenter bearing of the above mentioned character, which is strong, durable, mayben'iaintained properly lubricated, and which 4will .permitl` of the proper rocking action between thebody of the vehiclev and truck. i'

A' further object of the.v invention Vis to vprovide a ,center bearing, formed oftwo major parts, which are interloclred, in a manner to prevent theirrimproper separation, Vand which may be secured to thebolsters V'of the truck and vehicle, in a secure manner. Y

further object vof the invention is to provide a'centerbearing, which will eliminate the usual ,pin extending through the bearing members, Yand separa te therefrom, ywhich pin frequent-ly 'b realrs vand maydrop out.

A further object ofthe inventionristo provide a.. center bearing of the above mentioned character, having its partsrso arranged that the' relative swaying actionbetween the body of-the vehicle and truck may freely occur, and provide the maximum engaging sur: faces,.to prevent excessive swaying action.

Other objects and advantages of the in-V vention will be apparent during the course of the followingdescription.

In `the lacco,inpanying drawings forming a .part of this speciication, and in which like numerals are employed to designate :like ,partsthroughout the same, 'Y

Figure 1 is a sile elevation of a Acenter truck bearing,embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a plan view ofthe same.

y Figure 3 is a .longitudinal vsection takenron line 3*?) vof Figure 2,

Figure el .is a transverse section taken on line 4 4 of Figure 2, V

Figure -5 is a plan View of thebottom'bearing member,

Figure is a bottom plan view .of the top bearing member.

In .the .drawings wherein for therpurpose of illustration is shown la preferred embodif yment of my invention, the numeral 10 desig nates the Aupper bolster, carried 'by ythe 'body ofthe vehicle, such as .a railway car, loco'- motive, tender, Vor ythe like.. The numeral 11 1,925. serial No. 35,679.

ydesignates the lower bolster carried by the bodies a vpreferably flat base 14 having la v pin-element w15, integral therewith, at its center, andydependmg therefrom. This pin element 15 is adapted for insertionwithin;aY

recess 1,6, formedthroughthe upper surface of tl'ie'lower bolster 11, and serves to prevent the shearing action of the lower 'bearing member, upon its attaching bolts 17, which pass through openings in the base llfand in thebolster 11, `as shown.v The Alower bearing member or casting lfurther embodiesan upstanding preferably cylindrical casing or flange 18, which surrounds in spaced concentric relation a bearing element 19,having an upper spherically curved contact 4.face 20. The bearing element 1 9 projects above the base 14, providing an annular groove 21, for receivingoil, grease, or other' lubricant. It is preferred 4to provide a drain opening 22, leading to this groove 21, which is closed by abolt 23. ofthe spherically curved face is a pivot pin-element 24. having a lower portion 25, [which tapers ,slightly upwardly and an upper portion 2G, `which tapers upwardly sharply, as shown.` The casing or flange 18 is provided at dianietrically opposite points with inwardly projecting retaining jawsor, flanges 27, forming segmental openings 28, therebetween. lThese retaining jaws. or flanges are ,preferably substantially "one-,fourth of ythe circumference of the casing 18. All partsgf the lower bearing element are preferably Vformed integral, to afford the maximum strength, and to reduce the cost of production. `A two part guard 23 is preferably placed upon the rflange 18.

' glhe upper bearing member 12 embodies .a .preferably flatattaching plate or kcap 28, having a pin-element 29 lprojecting .upwardly from its lcenter, and cast integraltherewith. The pinfelement v29 is adapted-for 'i-nsertion within a recess 30,for'med in the bolster AQ0, and prevents'the'shearing action '.uponi'the 'bolts31, which serve to securev the attaching plate 28to the upper bolster 10.

Projecting ,from the center ino The upper bearing member 12 embodies a cylindrical bearing element 32, adapted for 36, forming recesses 37, therebetween. kThe retaining flanges 27 and 37 are adapted to pass each other, when the upper bearing member is placed at substantially a right angle to the lower bearing member, as indicated in Figure 2, subsequently to which,the upper bearing memberis turned to a position substantially parallel with the lower bearing member, at which time the retaining flanges 36 will engage beneath the retaining fianges 27, as clearly indicated in Figure 4.

Particular attention is called to the fact that there is ample clearance space provided between the tapered faces of the pin-'element 24 and the faces of the recess 35, and between the vertical edges of the flanges 27 and 36 and the adjacenty vertical walls of the bearing members 12 and 13, and also suliicient vclearance space between the adjacent horizontal faces of the flanges 27 and 36, whereby the upperbearing member may roll or rock upon the lower bearing member, within limits, without any of these coacting faces being brought into contact. When the lateral or rocking movement of the upper bearing element is excessive, then the maximum contact surfaces are provided to check the-same, since the vertical walls of the 'flanges y27 and 36 will engage with the adjacent vertical walls of the bearing members 12 and 13, and the faces of the pivot pin-element 24 will engage with the adja# cent face of the recess 35.

It is thus seenthat the pivot pin-element 24 serves to pivotally connect the upper and lower bearing members 12 and 13, and this pivotal connection comes into play upon the excessive swaying movement of the upper bearing member, which ordinarily rolls or rocks upon the lower bearing member'. The vertical displacement of the upper bearing member with respect to the lower bearing member is prevented by virtue of-the interlocking flanges 27'and 36. The pin-elements 15 and 29 serve to securely attachthe bearing members to the upper and flower -bolsters, and to hold them against movement which would tendto shear the bolts whichV secure the bearing members to the bolster.

'It is thus seen that the pin-elements '15, 24,

continuous pin employed in truck center bearings, while dispensing4 with certain disadvantages encountered in connection with the continuous pin. ln the` use ofthe continuous pin, it is ordinarily necessary to provide an opening in the bottom of the car or vehicle, which is undesirable. Further, the pin frequently breaks, and in some types of center bearings, will drop out. By my construction, thepivot pin-element 24 may be made larger'in diameter, and hence the liability of breakage is reduced. It would be impractical to makeA acontinuous pin in a corresponding large diameter. j

The casing or housing 18 is adapted -to receive a lubricant, such as oil or vgrease,'and also waste. The contactingfaces 2Q `and .'32 incline. downwardly, in anfoutward direction, and 'should grit or other hard particles pass between these faces, the same will work out and pass into the'groove'21. It is possible to retain the contacting faces20 and 32 properly lubricated through long periods, which cannot be done with the ordinary type of center bearing. It has been proposed to employ bearing balls or bearing rolls in a center bearing, but these have not proven satisfactory, as in actual use, they 'invariably flatten or, become deformed, which results in the quick destruction or injury to the bearings. The flattening of the bearing balls or bearing rolls, is due to the heavy load and tothe swaying action.

When the device has been in use for a considerable length of time, the contact faces of the bearing elements maywear, and I contemplate employing a Vwear, compensating washer 40, which will beplaced about the pivot pin-element 24, between the contacting faces. If desired, a wearcompensating washer or washers 40 may be employed permanentlyupon the bearing, but this is ordinarily not necessary, as the portions of the bearingv members 12 and 13, adjacent tothe contact faces 2O and 32 are suitably tempered to provide hard wear surfaces.

It 'is to be understood'that the forms of my invention vherewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and` that variousV changes inv the'shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claim. f l

Having lthus described myv invention, l claim: c

In a truck center bearing, a lower substantially fiat base provided substantially centrally thereof with a bearing element projecting4 above" the .base and having a 'convex spherically curved contact face, Vsaid bearing element beingA provided Awith'an imperforate pivot pin projecting above the lsaine and formed integral therewith, said base having an upstanding fiange projecting above the eaine and surrounding the bearing element, said flange being provided near its top with inwardly projecting locking flanges, said base being provided n ear its center with an iinpei'forate pin element formed inte-gral therewith and proj ect-ing below the saine, an upper Substantially flat plate having a depending bearing element to enter said flange and provided with a concave spherica'lly contact face to engage the convex contact face and also having a recess to receive the pivot element, the last named bearing element be ingvprovided near its bottom With outwardly projecting loc-king flanges to engage beneath the liret narned locking flanges, the upstanding flange of base being also adapted for holding waste or other lubricating material, the upper plate having an iinperforate pin element arranged above the saine at its center and formed integral therewith, the pivot element and pin elements being arranged in end-to-end relation and in vertical alinernent.

THOMAS W. HAWLEY. 

